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About this project

DEER EDITOR is a 48 tablet page B+W mature readers comic about Bucky, the editor of the crime beat at 'The Truth' who also happens to be a deer. This journalistic crime story starts with a John Doe killing and drags Bucky down into a world of political intrigue, a wi-fi enabled grotto, and a station locker full of a story bigger than he thinks he's tackling.

The issue is already 100% finished and ready to deliver.

DEER EDITOR #1 cover by Sami Kivela

If you dig CHINATOWN, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, or TIGER LAWYER then this gonzo pulp fu anthropomorphic slice of crime and words is absolutely a must for you. This issue works well as a one-shot story, but there is also room to build many more stories with this fantastic character, and I will get to them in time (the next one is already scripted). You can keep up with the campaign, and general title updates, over at DEER EDITOR HQ: deereditor.tumblr.com/

The book has been created using tablet pages - which are landscape in orientation and thus optimised for tablet, and other screen, viewing. An example is shown below.

STRETCH GOALS

UNLOCKED - $1250 - PITCH PROCESS - get a free download of a pitch I did for A LOVE SUPREME, a book about a Doctor Strange type hero who is defeated in battle but uses the power of love to save her consciousness and insert it into the mind of her boyfriend with him. Then, four months later, they break up, and she's still stuck in there.

This download is aimed at those process junkie types who wonder how to assemble and structure a pitch. Which can be hard when you can't find many to look at, so here will be the whole thing.

UNLOCKED - $1500 - COMIXTRIBE SAMPLERS - I wrote short stories for the OXYMORON and SCAMthology shorts at ComixTribe and you can get handy DRM-free PDF downloads of both stories, one with Daniel J Logan art, the other with Adam Masterman art.

$2000 - GET LOVESICK - a while back I got to place a 5 page comic short into the back of an Image comic. The short was LOVESICK - with Daniel J Logan art, Jordie Bellaire colours, and Ed Brisson letters - and it ran in the back of GRIM LEAPER #2 by Aluisio Santos and Kurtis J Wiebe. It's a nasty short many wouldn't have seen before, so I'm dropping it here as a bobbing lure of a DRM-free PDF download.

$2500 - ANTLER PROSE - if we hit this goal, I'll add a short prose story to the BROADSHEET PDF (yes, I write prose, too, I've even been published by Crime Factory). I'll be sure to make the short nasty twisted fun.

$3000 - CURRICULUM #1 - I've been busy squirrelling away at a new property called CURRICULUM, along with my writer's room of Dan Hill, Ben Rosenthal, Grant McLaughlin, and Danny Djeljosevic the Destroyer, and artists like Sami Kivela, Daniel J Logan, Elsa Charretier, Bryan Coyle, and more. It's a tablet page sci fi periodical about an intergalactic class that ends up lost on the other side of the universe and must find their way back. The first issue is written by me, illustrated by Sami Kivela, coloured by Marissa Louise, and lettered by Nic J. Shaw. If we hit $3k I'll give it out as a DRM-free PDF download - which means you'll get the first issue well before the title actually launches.

THANK YOU DOWNLOADS

All backers will see updates pointing to 'Thank You Downloads' as we hit funding milestones.

25% = CAPTAIN HUMAN THE ROBOT - ALL AGES EDIT - UNLOCKED

50% = THE MANY HAROLD HOLTS OF SPACE AND TIME - UNLOCKED

75% = CAPTAIN HUMAN THE ROBOT - AFTER HOURS EDIT - UNLOCKED

DEER EDITOR tablet page example by Sami Kivela

WHY DIGITAL? IS PRINT DYING?

I have gone for a 'digital only' experience on this Kickstarter mostly because I am Australian and postage to the rest of the world (which is all inconveniently across water from me) is terribly expensive. As such, I didn't want to offer the single issue of this book at an insane two-digit price. I wouldn't buy a one-shot for $20 so I don't particularly feel like offering one at that price.

To also combat the no print issue, I've priced the basic level PDF of just the story at $1 - which I hope is fair and lures you in. I know I always hammer on about people pricing their campaigns out of existence so I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is and practise what I preach.

KICKSTARTING A FINISHED BOOK?

We could have run this campaign a while back, and got paid upfront, but then left you guys hanging with a wait. Instead, we made this comic, and now it's a gamble as to whether Sami gets paid but we think you'll all come through.

I love a campaign that is a guarantee to deliver, and I like less of a wait, so I wanted to bring to the table the things I like. So the book is finished and is totally ready for you.

NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION LEVELS

$1 - TABLOID PDF

The story in a DRM-free PDF. Nothing extra, no distractions, just the whole story at an entry level price ready to read on your tablets.

~48 pages, + credits and chapter pages

This level might be my death because if everyone only chooses here I'll need 1000 backers to make my goal. But I'm a firm digital reader who loves the $1 price point. So, here we are.

$3 - BROADSHEET PDF

The story, with back matter, sketches, pin ups, and script, in a DRM-free PDF.

~115 pages, + other extras as we unearth them before September :)

This is the deluxe package, this is the sort of PDF I'd lose my mind for. Process junkies, those wanting a peek behind the curtain, this is your place to be. I also think this price is fair but a gamble to get us across the line.

Inside you will find the entire story, plus some back matter written by me, then some sketches and thumbnails by Sami, as well as some pin ups of Bucky (by Iain Laurie, Joe Mulvey, and others), some designed prints by me, at least one ink sketch by me, as well as the full script of this issue. You can see some examples of these things at the bottom of the page.

$7 - WEEKEND PDFs

That's right, TWO PDFs. One is the BROADSHEET PDF, and the other is the RKL SCRIPT PDF, feat. scripts of MANY of my other projects.

The extra PDF will contain scripts to:

HEADSPACE #1-3 -- FATHERHOOD -- THE MANY HAROLD HOLTS OF SPACE AND TIME -- LOVESICK -- SURVIVOR -- My shorts for the OXYMORON + SCAMthology books from ComixTribe -- FULL MOON HEIST #1, the full first issue of an as yet unmade miniseries -- JONBOT V MARTHA, the guest one-shot strip I wrote for the SICBA award winning Colin Bell and Neil Slorance's webcomic -- LITTLE MAN IN THE BIG HOUSE #1, a short story about a prison for supervillains that is in the works -- YELLOW, a short story I have coming soon -- CAPTAIN HUMAN THE ROBOT, both the All Ages Edit and the After Hours edit -- CURRICULUM #1, a forthcoming sci fi tablet periodical -- and a few other projects, and whatever else I can find floating about that isn't terribly embarrassing. It'll be worth easily over 200 pages.

I love reading comic scripts, they certainly help hone my own writing, so I hope some process junkies out there really dig on this beast of a package.

$10 - TALKING PIN UPS

Select one of the pin ups by our amazing guest artists and I'll write a word balloon/thought bubble/caption and have it pro lettered and JPEGed to your inbox. Comes with BROADSHEET PDF + RKL SCRIPT PDF.

You can choose from Iain Laurie, Joe Mulvey, Robert Carey, Peggy Von Burkleo, Frank Candiloro and others to be announced as the campaign rolls on. I will then write something ghastly and superfantastic to be lettered onto the pin up by Nic J Shaw and we'll send this one of a kind digital keepsake straight to you.

The pin ups are 'cropped' for view now (viewable at the bottom of the page) but as the campaign rolls on the full pin ups will be disclosed in 'Backers Only' updates, so at least make sure you're in for the Tabloid to see the whole goodness.

I'm no illustrator but I promise to really put my all into these inked sketches on A4 paper. Plus, y'know, due to the scarcity of me ever trying to draw something, these artifacts are sure to be worth millions on the wild west of the bitcoin market. Check out an example of the goods at the bottom of the page.

You can choose from sketches of Bucky: reading an iPad, reading a newspaper, eating cereal, drinking coffee, and writing a story.

$20 - RADIO DRAMA

Ryan will record the entire issue as a 'radio drama,' with audio files sent to you.
Comes with BROADSHEET PDF + RKL SCRIPT PDF.

Dear lord, I've been wanting to do this for years. Now, take into account, this won't be some slick production, but man alive is it going to be fun to do. I just hope I have the voice to carry such an activity. The SFX from my mouth might seem suspect at first but I'm certain they'll win you over. For me, this is the heart of this campaign. If you're looking to really support with your money and get something rad in return, here it is. Enjoy.

To listen to a sample of what the radio drama will be like, check this video here:

$50 - TYPE PLATE EDITION - limited to 2

A copy of the DE #1 script, from a typewriter, with stains and red pen annotations through it by Ryan.
Comes with BROADSHEET PDF + RKL SCRIPT PDF + RADIO DRAMA.

Back in the day, before screenplays were easily downloadable for free, I remember looking at screenplays in certain stores and they were seriously just these slabs of paper out of someone's typewriter. And man did they look boss. Then screenplays were collected into books, and now they're ubiquitous online, but here I want to bring back that leather satchel vibe. I'm going to hand type these, then annotate with red pen while having a few late night coffees/wines/rums, I might even wrap them in a ribbon, and then I'll send off to you.

I'm no Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes but I have some mind for comic writing. I also know how important it is to get another set of eyes on your writing so I'm happy to help out, make some notes on a full issue script of 24 pages max, and chat them through with you. I also have a lovely bearded face for Skype, so, y'know, that alone might be worth it.

Joe Mulvey is a talented man, and nice on the eyes to boot. He's the artist/writer on SCAM at ComixTribe and he's provided this killer one of a kind Bucky pin up that he'll personally ship to your door (so Mulvey DNA may inadvertantly be included within the parcel/under the stamp) so you'd be crazy not to hop on this. I'll even put the pin up RIGHT HERE so you can see the insanity.

$1200 - The RKL eXperience - limited to 2

For $1200, I will travel to your comic store (Aussie stores only) in January and work the counter all day, then drink at your store all night with a class selection of punters (I'll even provide bottles of Stones) while delivering a workshop on making and breaking into comics. I'll talk about writing structure, finding artists, completing projects, the time I punched a swarm of bees, and my favourite books right now.

I'll also provide the store with 50 copies of a special print run of DEER EDITOR, a one-of-a-kind ink sketch BY ME of Bucky at their store, and if anyone can provide a bbq then I'll cook bacon and egg burgers for breakfast at the most convenient location the next morning.

THANK YOU + STRETCH GOALS

Oh, you better believe there'll be thank you + stretch goals.

As we hit quarterly milestones throughout the campaign, I plan on unleashing some fun process stuff + instantly downloadable content on the backers (short comics, previous pitch packages, etc).

If we surpass our goal then they'll also continue to rock out at $1,250, $1,500, $2k, $2,500, + $3k. There'll be unseen stories, scripts, and some pitch treatments.

MEET THE CREATORS

Sami Kivela - Illustrator Supreme

Sami is an art monster from Finland who has been busy illustrating the upcoming REALM WAR and HIT LIST at Zenescope, as well as DARK LIES, DARKER TRUTHS at Markosia, THE HEAP and ZEROIDS from Moonstone Books and LORDI comics from Arktinen Banaani. Furthermore his works have been published by Ape Entertainment, Egmont, Otava, Heske Horror etc. He has also self- published a number of comics.

Ryan K Lindsay - Lowly Writer

Ryan is an Australian writer who currently writes the critically acclaimed HEADSPACE at Monkeybrain Comics with Eric Zawadzki + Sebastian Piriz/Marissa Louise on art, his FATHERHOOD one-shot was one of the top selling ComiXology Submit titles, and he once sold out to write a MY LITTLE PONY RAINBOW DASH one-shot. You most recently saw his writing in the CMYK Magenta anthology issue from Vertigo with a short story graced with Tommy Lee Edwards art.

Nic J Shaw - Nice Guy Letterer

Nic is an Australian letterer who currently slaps the balloons and captions on the DOC UNKNOWN books by Ryan Cody + Fabian Rangel Jr, 12 REASONS TO DIE at Black Mask, and plenty of other goodness. He is also an accomplished writer with the series of ACTION JOHNSON shorts to his name (completely funded by Kickstarter) and plenty more coming down the pike.

Dan Hill - Editorial Overlord

Dan is a wicked smart story guy. He understands plot machines, and character presentation, and I make him my first reader on just about everything. He's also a great writer with some short material available online and more great stuff coming down the line.

MONEY BREAKDOWN

Most of the money raised will be going to Sami Kivela. He's an amazing artist and I want to get him more than he is worth. I have paid him 'some' for this book but I want to see him making it rain on some space yacht moored off one of the party moons of Jupiter.

What crumbs are left I will use to kick Nic J Shaw a small bonus for being a handsome guy and fantastic letterer (though I've already paid him his paltry sum for the issue's work as he subsists on unicorn dreams and 'good vibes'), as well as Christopher Kosek who has helped with a lot of the design in this project, and Dan Hill for his time and support, and then maybe also pocket some myself and periodically feed my kids.

There are no print costs involved with the pixels on this project. The pixels are working for free.

THREE PAGE PREVIEW

Here is a peek at the first three pages of the project. Hopefully it whets your whistle.

Risks and challenges

The issue is already complete, from soup to nuts - I guess the soup being the script and the nuts being the final lettered pages. So there is no problem with getting the issue out.
As for the other rewards, the only stickler will be the radio drama. Now, the issue isn't it being created, I WILL do that. The issue is with its quality (I'm a writer, not some hammy voice talent), but that'll be your problem.
Everything else should be apples.
And I guess the last risk is that people will realise I am heavily just ripping off Ryan Ferrier's TIGER LAWYER. It's true, I am. Well, let's say, heavily influenced by. It's a concept homage. I know the tone is different. And the quality level is way different - one is much better. You know which one.

Pledge $1,200 or more

0 backers
Limited (2 left of 2)

$1200 - The RKL eXperience

For $1200, I will travel to your comic store (Aussie stores only) in January and work the counter all day, then drink at your store all night with a class selection of punters (I'll even provide bottles of Stones) while delivering a workshop on making and breaking into comics. I'll talk about writing structure, finding artists, completing projects, the time I punched a swarm of bees, and my favourite books right now.

I'll also provide the store with 50 copies of a special print run of DEER EDITOR, a one-of-a-kind ink sketch BY ME of Bucky at their store, and if anyone can provide a bbq then I'll cook bacon and egg burgers for breakfast at the most convenient location the next morning.

Estimated delivery:Jan 2015

Only ships to: Australia

Funding period

Aug 11, 2014 - Sep 10, 2014
(30 days)

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